TALKING HEADS: After news about jobs, questions about jobs

Last things first. There was a historic moment during QP today when MP Peter Penashue stood with a query. It was not so much the question that was significant, but rather the way it was delivered — in the Innu language, a first for the House.

It was a quiet day — in case you’re not following Elizabeth May on Twitter. “None of the other leaders are here today,” she noted. “Thin benches for a Friday.”

Outremont MP Thomas Mulcair was first up with questions about the pricetag attached to Bill C10. As they’ve done all week, the Conservatives noted the costs of crime and pointed out that pricing was included in hundreds of pages of documents released in the spring.

No one believes you, responded Mulcair — not Canadians, not the PBO.

Cue the CPC talking points: “We are following through in our commitment to help victims of crime,” said Kerry-Lynne Findlay. “We would love it if the opposition would get on board with these initiatives to help those who are the most vulnerable in society.”

Just a little bit later, when Liberal MP Wayne Easter asked about the fate of the Canadian Wheat Board, he was told to join the Conservatives in giving Canadian farmers the freedoms they deserve.

Later still, NDP MP Pat Martin rose to ask about “the miscreant minister from Muskoka” and “the monkey business,” the “broken rules” and the “partisan political pork barreling.”

Paging John Baird. The foreign affairs minister, like the prime minister earlier this week, reminded the House that those 32 public infrastructure projects created jobs as part of the EAP. (How many jobs? “Hundreds of thousands.”) In fact, Baird cited this morning’s Statistics Canada report: “61,000 net new jobs in September.”

Followup from the MP for Winnipeg Centre: “Why do they continue to defend this miscreant minister from Muskoka when he would make a perfect ambassador to Hans Island?

Baird’s reply: “I will not cede sovereignty over Hans Island. We will not send an ambassador to Hans Island because Hans Island is part of this great country. We will not allow the NDP to sell out our sovereignty and give away an island. Shame on this member.”

But back to jobs. Conservative MP Dan Albus wanted to know what the Conservatives have been doing about jobs. Obviously he’s not been paying attention.

“I thank the member for that important question,” replied Shelley Glover. “I am happy to report that Statistics Canada announced today that over 60,000 net new jobs were created in September. Our job growth shows that we are on the right track.”

Final word today to MP Peter Stoffer — though he was actually winding up for an important question about poverty and the growing demand for food banks.

“Mr. Speaker,” he said. “On behalf of all of us here, I would like to wish you, all my colleagues in the House of Commons and all Canadians a very Happy Thanksgiving.”

This weekend on CBC’s The House:

– Re-elected Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty has ordered his finance minister back to work. Dwight Duncan will speak about Ontario’s fall economic update and his party’s new minority government.

– Quebec City reporter Tim Duboyce will help explain why Quebecers who voted for change in the last federal election are provincially rallying behind former Parti Quebecois cabinet minister Francois Legault.

– Talk about the proposed controversial Keystone XL pipeline project with Ben Geman, energy and environment reporter for the congressional daily The Hill based in Washington, DC and White House correspondent for The Canadian Press Lee-Anne Goodman.